


In Here

by cutlawquane



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 11:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8204336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutlawquane/pseuds/cutlawquane
Summary: Kanan lifted his hand and for a second he felt a tremor of fear ripple through Hera’s body. He lowered his hand immediately and instead moved himself closer to Hera. She seemed hesitant at first but eventually she rested her head against his chest and allowed Kanan to wrap an arm around her shoulders. Hera and Kanan deal with the trauma of Maul's attack on the Ghost in Holocrons of Fate.





	

“Sit still,” Hera said, running her hands over Kanan’s face. She combed his beard with her bare fingers, straightening out the loose hairs.

Kanan reached up and took her hand. “Hera, I’m fine,” he said assuredly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. Are the others okay?”

“Zeb and Sabine are a little shaken up. Ezra seems to need some time to figure things out but otherwise alright,” Hera said.

“And you?” Kanan asked.

Hera paused. Kanan could not see her with his eyes but he could sense her in ways he couldn’t before. There was warmth emanating from her body and yet an inward layer of frigidness that belied the confidence of her words. “Come closer,” he said gently, patting the space beside him on the bunk.

Hera tentatively moved closer and sat down. Her hand was still clasped in his and yet Kanan felt as if she might let go at any moment. 

“Kanan, he knows,” Hera said quietly.

“Knows about what?” Kanan asked. Hera let go of his hand and turned away.

“Your real name,” Hera said. “I think he found out because of me. He found the holocron too… because of me.”

“Did he hurt you?” Kanan asked, anger flitted through his mind but he resisted the urge to let it in.

“Not exactly,” she said, her voice traveling back towards him. “He… went into my mind though. And… and…”

Kanan lifted his hand and for a second he felt a tremor of fear ripple through Hera’s body. He lowered his hand immediately and instead moved himself closer to Hera. She seemed hesitant at first but eventually she rested her head against his chest and allowed Kanan to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

Kanan reached for Hera’s hands and slowly caressed her fingers before entwining his in hers. After a while he pressed small kisses against her head tails. Hera’s body relaxed a little but her fingers around his remained clenched tight.

“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure he doesn’t hurt us again,” he whispered in her ear.

“That was so close,” Hera said, her voice muffled against his shirt. “I was scared, Kanan. Scared for Sabine and Zeb, scared for Ezra and scared that you were gone.”

“I’ll always come back,” he said.

Hera pulled his head down towards hers and pressed her lips against his. It was unlike any kiss he’d gotten from Hera before. Kanan couldn’t remember the last time he felt so many intense emotions all bundled together.

“We’ll get through this,” he soothed. “We always have.”

Kanan pulled Hera's trembling body closer to his. Her breathing started out staggered and shallow but gradually deepened. Kanan had an arm around her and slowly lowered his head to rest on top of hers.

Hera eventually withdrew from the embrace and loosened her grip on Kanan’s shirt which she had crumpled into a ball. Kanan felt a gentle breeze float across his face. One of the things he was most devastated to lose was his ability to communicate and understand Hera wordlessly through her lekku movements. Now he could only hear them faintly swish back and forth.

“We have to be better prepared,” Hera said, her voice regaining its composure and authority. “I want you to teach me how to safeguard my mind.”

Kanan nodded. “Yes, I can help you with that. Let’s begin tomorrow...”

“No!” Hera exclaimed. “I want to do it now. We don’t know what might happen tomorrow. There’s too much depending on what I know.”

“Are you sure?” Kanan asked. “Dealing with the mind is very delicate, especially after what you’ve been through.”

“I trust you, Kanan,” Hera said, squeezing his hand.

“Alright, but I will not go further if you’re not ready,” Kanan said taking both her hands in his. Hera did not turn away so he gradually led her off the bunk onto the floor.

“Sit opposite me and close your eyes,” Kanan guided, crossing his own legs and sitting upright in a meditative pose. “Breathe.”

Kanan allowed his senses to take in everything about Hera. He could hear her slow breaths, he could smell the sooty residue that was constantly attached to her suit, a crisp and familiar scent not unlike breakfast toast. He reached out with the force slowly, tracing the outline of her body. In his mind, he could picture the rise and fall of her chest and the gentle swaying of her head tails.

“Deeper,” Kanan said. “Breathe longer and slower.”

Kanan heard her breaths clearer now. Long exhales, deeper, fuller breaths, and he knew from the stillness of her being that she had her eyes closed. “I’m going to reach out to you now,” Kanan said. “I want you to focus. Focus on your breath. Focus on keeping your mind light and clear. Tell me when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” Hera said after a few more extended breaths.

Kanan sent forth tendrils of force consciousness, very slowly probing towards Hera’s mind. Kanan could feel her body twitch from discomfort every so often and was careful not to go too far. He pulled back after just a few short seconds.

“How did that feel?” he asked.

“Good,” Hera said. “But I know you’re holding back. Mind probes and force users won’t be doing the same. How can I keep them from getting in?”

“Focus on keeping your mind on the light: the hope you feel, the love you have for those you care about, the joy you feel in flying. Do not let fear and anger seep in. Imagine you have a shell. Not a hard rock shell, but a crystalline one that is filled with happy yet vague memories. Our mind has a tendency to focus on details when we’re angry or upset. It doesn’t fixate on them when we’re happy. It just lets the emotion carry us forward. How’re you feeling?”

“Good,” Hera said. “Calm.”

“Good,” Kanan said. “Ready? Remember, you’re not trying to push them out. Your goal is to create a shield to protect your fears and secrets.”

“Let’s try it again,” Hera said.

Kanan probed deeper this time, swimming around in Hera’s thoughts. He slowly tried to probe deeper, but was met with resistance from Hera. “Good, Hera, you have a strong mind,” he said. “Now all you have to do is practice and remember to focus on the light.”

He held out his hand and Hera put hers in it. She slowly clambered into his lap and hugged his arms around her. “You make me feel safe,” she said. “I know nothing can hurt me when you’re here.”

“Then you’re lucky, love,” Kanan said kissing her cheek. “Because I will always be here with you.”

He ran his hand gently up the length of T’chun until it rested on top of her head. “In here,” he finished.


End file.
